“Demeyere proline/Atlantis is the ultra-premium option.”
100% mix and match. Stainless- all clad is usually the default. Demeyere proline/Atlantis is the ultra-premium option. Viking (from Marshall’s/Homegoods) are by far the best budget pick. You’re really not sacrificing anything with these iver all clad except they’re $20/30 a piece instead of hundreds Cast iron- really not much work at all. It’s just seasoning to to start with that’s a bit extra work. Lodge is the easy pick here (another good thing to check Marshall’s/homegoods for). I’d recommend a 10 and 12” plus a ~6” for eggs. Carbon steel- matfer and that’s the best option you get no matter what you’re prioritizing. They’re cheap and top of the line. Best for when u want non-stick and the ability to work the pan. Enameled Cast Iron- Staub or Le Creuset. These will be pricy but u can find deals on them. A ~7QT Dutch oven and a 3.5QT braiser should be a must for everyone cooking for a family. The LC 7.5QT French oven from Le Creuset is on sale for $300 right now and you can easily find a braiser for $200 from a Zwilling outlet (staubs parent company) or when they run sales online. I wouldn’t recommend an enameled cast iron frying pan, they’re not all that useful if u have stainless and regular cast iron. Nordic ware baking sheets I have the glass Tupperware bundle (not actually Tupperware but idk the brand) from BJs and they’re great. They’re ovensafe (besides the lids) so they double as my baking dishes and I can use them for storage. (Personal opinion) Stay away from non-stick. The previous chemical used in them were proven to be cancer causing and the new chemical (which is extremely similar) is being investigated now. I’d stay away until we know more at the minimum.